Greetings

Mayor Victor Gordo

The City of Pasadena is resilient. The City of Pasadena remains strong and vibrant. Please join me, the City Council, our Chamber of Commerce, residents, businesses and workers in supporting our local businesses. As we slowly emerge from the effects of the global pandemic, Pasadena is proud of our efforts to protect our residents. Pasadena is very fortunate to have its own Public Health Department, which worked diligently to ensure Pasadena was as safe as possible from the coronavirus. Pasadena is proud to support its residents and businesses in times of need, and we continue to steadfastly protect the quality of life, vitality and economy of our City. Pasadena enjoys a very diverse economic base, from worldrenowned educational institutions to cultural institutions, healthcare providers, financial services, and hospitality. We have always enjoyed a stable economic base that supports the quality of life in Pasadena. The COVID-19 pandemic hit Pasadena hard, and the City responded. We provided grants to local small businesses to help keep them open in the face of economic disaster. Our staff also offered expert technical advice. Our city government is determined to maintain the Pasadena we all know and love. With our Planning and Community Development, Transportation and Public Works departments, as well as our Public Health staff, the City Council has moved quickly to institute adjustments to codes and requirements so that we could get our businesses re-opened safely. Pasadena is already seeing renewed interest in our tourism and hospitality industries. The Rose Bowl and Convention Center are hosting visitors from around the world. Our museums, galleries and cultural institutions are again welcoming guests. Our retailers are open and welcoming shoppers. And, while we have seen closures, our restaurants are maintaining their outdoor dining spaces and reopening for indoor service. Please support our local business community, our residents and workers as we re-establish Pasadena as a center for commerce, hospitality, fun, and enjoyment for all. Thank you for continuing to love and support our great City of Pasadena.

Victor M. Gordo Mayor

Raphael Henderson, Chair of the Board

Greeting from the Chair of the Board of Directors. The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association has always been a vital resource for our members and an important contributor and supporter of our local economy. Prior to 2020, we supported our members with networking events, informational seminars, workshops and other events highlighting our members and businesses. Our 1,400 members could take advantage of our accessible staff and their expertise and connections in the community. That changed when COVID-19 arrived in the United States. At the Chamber we redirected our efforts to provide support and advice to our local businesses to assist them in accessing emergency funds, applying for PPP Loans and finding the resources necessary to remain viable. The Pasadena Chamber was also the clearinghouse for accurate and up-to-date information. Despite a significant drop in revenues, the Chamber remained open throughout. We provided updates via informational email blasts with information about infection rates, closure orders, pandemic safety protocols, and funding sources to keep businesses going. The Chamber helped many of our local businesses find financial institutions and fill out forms to access funding. We also helped our members apply for Los Angeles County and State of California grants and loans. We were the trusted source of information and support for our local business community. The Chamber is a strong and effective advocate for our members. Our continued efforts prodded the City of Pasadena to create a Small Business Relief Fund that granted $10,000 to 50 local small businesses. The city followed that with a round of micro-grants for our most vulnerable companies. In addition, we worked closely with City staff to devise and implement outdoor dining plus food and beverage take-out service in Pasadena. As we continue to weather the pandemic and slowly recover, the Pasadena Chamber still provides current and accurate information. In addition, we work diligently to link our members and our business community to the resources necessary to re-open safely and within the guidelines of the state and local health authorities. Though our focus shifted in 2020 and 2021, the Chamber continues to aggressively support the prosperity of our members and the economic health of our city, region, state, and nation. Thank you for your ongoing loyalty and support.

Raphael Henderson, Chair of the Board, 2022-23